Lich for Hire

High above the skies of Lyon, a massive airship streaked across the heavens at an unbelievable speed.

Cities across Lyon spotted the vessel. At first, they assumed it was an enemy incursion. Alarm bells rang, defensive magic arrays flared to life, and anti-air weapons were hastily deployed along the walls.

But to their surprise, the ship simply flew straight past without slowing in the slightest.

Early sightings were quickly reported up the chain of command.

Cities further along its path braced themselves, preparing to intercept the craft, but they soon realized something astonishing. Though it looked small, in reality, it was flying at an extreme altitude. Even their magitech cannons couldn't reach that high, let alone the priests' divine spells.

Fortunately, the airship merely passed overhead without dropping anything from above. Only then did the people of Lyon breathe a sigh of relief.

Still, the sheer audacity of that airship, flying straight across the empire, was intolerable.

By the time the news reached the imperial capital, the young emperor was reportedly furious enough to consider donning his Draconic Armaments and shooting the airship down himself. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and talked him out of it.

Meanwhile, the mysterious airship crossed beyond Lyon's borders and headed straight for the Emerald Dreamwood, where it vanished completely from sight.

The people of Lyon could fume all they wanted. It made no difference to Ambrose.

Seated comfortably inside the airship, Ambrose was enjoying the smooth journey.

"It took thirteen years of tinkering in my private space to ensure that it won't explode mid-flight... And it flies at eight hundred kilometers per hour, too."

Once he decided to deliver the divine domain to the Lady of Mists, Ambrose had retreated into his personal dimension, adjusting time so that one day outside equaled a year within.

He spent thirteen years there, focused entirely on refining his jet-powered airship.

Fortunately, optimization was his specialty. After more than a decade of work, he had finally produced a sleek, triangular craft.

The entire body resembled a right triangle with stabilizing fins, and a central cabin capable of carrying five passengers.

It wasn't designed for cargo, but rather long-distance transport. In terms of speed, it was unmatched across the continent. Not even dragons could catch up to it.

He hadn't had much choice.

Carrying a divine domain meant teleportation was off the table. And with the desert lying on one side and the Emerald Dreamwood on the other, with the entirety of Lyon in between, walking across was out of the question. Flying over Lyon was the only option.

At eight hundred kilometers per hour, the journey took less than a day.

Soon enough, Ambrose arrived above the vast green canopy of the Dreamwood and chose a random spot at which to land.

He hadn't come for the druids. He simply needed access to the Dreamveil Barrier to contact the Lady of Mists. All he needed to do was lie down at the edge of the barrier, and she would appear in his dreams.

After landing near a shadowy hollow, Ambrose set up several warning traps, then entered the Dreamveil Barrier's range in his mithril body.

The moment he stepped inside, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness hit him.

Even mithril couldn't resist the Dreamveil Barrier's power.

Ambrose didn't fight the lethargy. He fell asleep even as his body's magitech reactor continued running, exactly as intended.

Even if he were unconscious, the armor could still defend him long enough for him to awaken if needed.

The moment sleep took hold, Ambrose found himself in a grand, opulent palace.

At its center, seated upon a velvet couch, was the Lady of Mists, Leyla. Seeing him, she smiled brightly.

"You're back already? Don't tell me you've already killed that shameless wretch?"

Ambrose was rendered momentarily speechless. This goddess really wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, was she? Did she seriously think a mere lich could casually kill a greater deity?

Still, business demanded courtesy. He maintained a polite smile. "Honored Lady of Mists, I'm afraid slaying the Prince of Lies is beyond a humble lich like myself. However, I bring better news. Wouldn't you wish to exact revenge personally?"

Leyla frowned slightly. "Me? My divine domain was stolen. I'm barely stronger than a mortal now."

"And if I were to give you a new domain? Would you be able to recover your power?"

"A domain?" She hesitated. "I can't imagine that's possible... but even the weakest domain would be a boon from Aion. As for my original strength, I was only a lesser deity to begin with. Any domain would do."

She looked faintly embarrassed. She hadn't been targeted merely out of carelessness, after all. She had been weak to begin with.

Ambrose had expected as much. "In that case, I've secured a suitable one for you: a fragment of darkness stripped from Loss. Would you be willing to accept it?"

Leyla's eyes widened. "Loss? How could you possibly wrest a domain from her?"

Ambrose chuckled. "That's a curious question, coming from someone who once asked me to kill the Prince of Lies."

That rejoinder left Leyla bemused for a moment. She dipped her head. "I don't doubt your ability. I simply assumed such things would only be possible during a great upheaval among the gods. But the divine war hasn't even begun yet. How did you manage it?"

Ambrose briefly recounted the story of Loss's downfall at Aion's hands.

By the end, Leyla was staring at him in astonishment. She had assumed that Ambrose had merely tricked Loss, but in truth, he had outplayed multiple goddesses and even left the Spider Queen gravely weakened.

Her eyes gleamed with excitement. "I knew I judged you correctly! If I had even half your cunning back then, I wouldn't have been betrayed by that wretch."

"So you'll accept the domain of darkness?" Ambrose asked.

Leyla sighed. "At this point, any domain is the same to me. It's all just a different facet of power."

"There is one concern," Ambrose warned. "Since it comes from Loss, won't she come after you?"

The fate of the God of Alchemy had been a warning. Leyla was even weaker than his former master. If she were immediately hunted down, Ambrose wouldn't be able to recoup his investment.

But Leyla smiled with quiet confidence. "Don't worry. I know how to hide. With Azoth's help, I left a fragment of my consciousness imbued in this land. Even that wretch Cymric hadn't been able to find me. Loss won't know that I've absorbed her domain."

That was reassuring enough.

The first half of Ambrose's objective was complete. Next came the second.

"Lady," Ambrose said casually, "since the Lord of Spells helped you survive, you must be on good terms with him, yes?"

"Fairly," she replied. "Why? Do you seek Azoth, too?"

Ambrose smiled. "Well, could I draw on your connection to have a word with the Goddess of Magic?"